Till Death do us Part
by kate4
Summary: At age 24 Helga's getting married to a famous Australian author and Arnold realizes that he loves her. Can Arnold find the guts to tell her before it's too late?
1. Default Chapter

AN#1:hello to all, the prologue is sort of dark and depressing and sad. And I NEVER really wanted to have what happened happen but I kinda did and well...don't let it be a turn off from the story. The rest of the story is different...it's good...I promise.  
  
Disclaimer:I own the plot, everything else goes to it's respected owners  
  
Till Death do us Part  
Prologue  
  
Helga G Pataki slumped in her chair before the bell. It had been the usual kind of morning for her. She'd overslept, thrown on some dark blue jeans and a pink shirt with her favorite black jean jacket, run a comb through her hair, and run out the door without breakfast. She sighed to herself, at least it was her senior year...her last year to worry about things like this. She glanced around her first block class. As usual she was behind Arnold...whom she still teased but not with such intensity as in fourth grade, now she felt she was over her crush and they had a friendly relationship despite her sarcasm. Diagnol to her and next to Arnold was Gerald Johansen, class president of course, he kept their entire school running while maintaing a 3.5 GPA. The seat behind Gerald and across from Helga was vacant. 'That's strange...' Helga thought, 'Phoebs is NEVER late to class...'  
  
"Hey Johansen," She said, "Where's your girlfriend?"  
  
"I was just about to ask you the same question Helga. I haven't talked to Phoebe since yesterday, she was fine then, I doubt she's sick...do you think she could be late?" Gerald said turning sideways in his chair.  
  
Helga shook her head vigourously, her short messy blonde hair coming loose from behind her ears. "No way, Phoebe has to be sick, she's never been late in her entire life."  
  
"Will all students please report to the auditorium for an emergency assembly." the annoying voice came over the PA system.   
  
Helga stood up...the moment she heard that anouncement she got a horrible feeling in her stomache. Something was wrong...very wrong.   
  
Like a zombie she followed the mass of students headed toward the auditorium. She flopped into a seat in front of Arnold and Gerald, next to Sid clutching her stomache.  
  
"Hey Helga...are you ok? You look kind of pale," Sid asked  
  
"What?" Helga said. "Yeah yeah...I'm fine."  
  
Principal Dotlin walked up onto stage, he didn't look happy. "Hello..students," He said. "I...I'm afraid I have some horrible news, and I feel it would be best to present it to you all at the same time. I'm afraid that this morning, on her way to school our bright Ms. Phoebe Hyerdahl was hit by a truck, some bums who were out partying all night were driving home under the influence of alchol and they hit her. She was rushed to the hospital but...I'm afraid that she died before they got her there..."  
  
Principal Dotlin continued with words of comfort but Helga could no longer hear them. She sat in shock for a few moments...it couldn't be, Phoebe couldn't die...she couldn't... Helga heard Gerald tell Arnold that he wanted to be alone and then the auditorium doors swing open behind her.  
  
It was a lie though, a horrible filthy lie, Phoebe was fine... she was fine... Helga felt hot tears on her cheek and got up running from the room. She ran down the hall to Phoebe's locker and opened it deftly having known the combination for years. Helga took down a picture of herself, Phoebe, Gerald and Arnold at a party from the summer...it was one of the few parties Helga had attended and one of the very few pictures she looked happy in. Helgo took the photo ran. She ran down the long hallway barely seeing where she was going. She turned around a corner and ran into Arnold. Sobbing she looked up at his face...he had tears streaming from his eyes. Helga tried to turn and keep running but Arnold had a firm grip on her wrists.   
  
"No..." She shrieked, "Let me go...I've got to get to the hospital...Phoebe can't have died..she can't...ever..."  
  
"I know...I know..." Arnold said quietly.   
  
Helga stopped struggling and collapsed into Arnold, he walked with her out of the school and down the block to the park where they sat under an old oak tree on the bench and cried for hours.   
  
"How Arnold...how?" Helga said after they'd cried all their tears. "I mean why? why Phoebe? She didn't deserve it, why not someone who did?"   
  
"Helga you know I can't answer that."  
  
"Arnold lets make a pact...here and now." Helga sniffed and pulled out her keychain which had a small pocket knife on it. Helga opened the pocket knife and made a quick cut across her wrist, then she took Arnolds wrist. "This cut," She said making a quick slice across his wrist as well. "Will scar, and the scar will be a reminder forever, that we will never, ever, drink."   
  
Arnold nodded seriously as he watched the cut stop bleeding.  
  
"I can't beleive she's gone." Helga said. "I just can't...I mean...she can't die..tomorrow she'll be sitting next to me again in class, studying as hard as ever and trying not to blush when Gerald tells her how cute she is..." Helga sniffed again as she started to cry.   
  
Arnold wrapped his arms around her tightly as fresh tears sprang into his eyes. He leaned back with Helga in his arms thinking about how much he would miss Phoebe...Somehow the two of them cried themselves to sleep on the bench.   
  
The next morning Arnold walked Helga home before going home himself, they'd slept all night in the park. As Arnold left Helga's house he could hear her father berading her over where she'd been all night and how Olga never disapeared before.   
  
Arnold went home and up to his room. He sat down on his bed with his head in his hand...sweet inocent Phoebe..gone...how could this be? And Helga, who had always been the strongest when it came to blocking out any emotions for anyone, had sobbed like a little girl in front of him yesterday. Phoebe had been so loved...and now...  
  
Two days later the funeral took place.  
  
Everyone who had been close to Phoebe had come. Arnold sat between Helga and Gerald...both of whom spoke during the ceremony. Gerald related a story of Phoebe's kindness, generosity and intelect, and then it was Helga's turn. Helga stood up in front of the congregation and said...  
  
"Phoebe Clelia Hyerdahl was my best friend, and one of my only friends in the entire world. She understood me...something that I don't think anyone else does. Not my parents, or my sister, or my peers, it was always Phoebe. Phoebe knew my deepest secrets when we were younger, Phoebe was the person I always turned to with my problems, Phoebe was always there for me no matter what. And now she's not here...she's not here for any of us, she's in a far better place. If I had one last chance to speak to her...even if I could only say two words...they would be thank you. Thank you Phoebe, for beleiving in me, and understanding me better than anyone else. Thank you."  
  
Bye the time she'd finished Helga G Pataki had tears running down her face. She sat down and felt Gerald and Arnold take her hands.   
  
"I'm here for you Helga," Arnold said, "We're all here for each other now."  
  
  
A/N#2...I know! Horrible sadness! But this was the prologue remember? The story is better! I promise! No more death! Please review! 


	2. Till Death do us Part-part one

A/N-ok, This is a bit happier than the prologue! I know that Arnold couldn't be a doctor at his age because you have to go through so many years of med school but it's my story and I say he is so ha! Anyway...Enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer-I do not own Hey Arnold...I *kinda* got the idea from a movie on comedy central called...oh shoot what was it called....ummm...Oh yeah! (blonde moment) Kissing a Fool, but not really, not really at all...I kinda was watching it and it gave me another idea, that and the movie My Best Friends Wedding (which I've only seen the preview for so I don't know how much alike the story is).  
  
Till Death do us Part-part one  
  
6 Years Later  
  
"Hey Gerald did you dust these shelves yet?" Arnold called out.  
  
"Yes man, for the millionth time, the shelves have been dusted," Gerald said flopping down on the coach, "And the windows cleaned, the refrigerator cleaned out, the bathroom is clean, EVERYTHING is clean."  
  
Arnold nodded anxiously and glanced at his watch.  
  
"Man what are you so worried about?" Gerald asked setting his coke can onto the coffee table, "This is HELGA, our Helga, she's not going to care if our apartment is clean."  
  
"Still" Arnold said placing Geralds coke onto a coaster so it wouldn't leave a ring on the table, "She's a girl, girls like clean."  
  
"Girl or no girl it's HELGA, she wouldn't care if we had our boxers hanging from the ceiling!" Gerald said. "She's only been gone for about 2 years on her internship."  
  
"I know, I know, I'm stressing." Arnold said, "But I can't help it."  
  
"Whatever Arnold," Gerald said giving his best friend a *look* and glancing at the clock on the wall, "Let's go get her...I can just hear the speach that she'll give us if we're late getting to the airport."  
  
They arrived at the airport around the same time as Helga's flight from Australia and waited for her at the gate.   
  
Gerald could feel Arnold's nervous anxiety just standing next to him. They watched an old woman with a cane, a chineese man with a briefcase who glanced at his watch every few seconds, a young mother looking very harried with two young children...and finally a tall, thin, tan 24 year old woman with long blonde hair.   
  
Arnold felt his heart skip a beat. 'What the heck is wrong with you Arnold?' He asked himself, 'This is one of your best friends here...why are you so nervous.'  
  
"Well if it isn't football head and tall hair boy," Helga teased with an enormous grin as she set down her bags and gave Gerald and Arnold huge hugs. "I actually missed you clowns believe it or not."  
  
"Well we actually missed you and your sharp witted sarcasm," Gerald replied.   
  
"It's great to have you back Helga," Arnold said. "I suppose you learned a lot interning for Gregory Howard, most famous australian author ever?"  
  
Helga nodded, her eyes quickly glancing away, "So, ready to get out of here? I'm starving."  
  
"Yeah come on Pataki, lets go." Gerald said. They picked up Helga's bags and headed out to the car.   
  
"Man, Helga have we got a surprise for you," Gerald said, "We cleaned our whole townhouse, top to bottom, just for you."  
  
Helga laughed, "Why? You know it's not going to stay clean for two days?"  
  
"Probably not," Arnold agreed pulling the car out of the parking lot, "So, did you write that award winning novel you're going to write? You know the one that's going to be the most original and most creative idea ever? The one you claim is going to make you so rich that you can pay your share of the rent?"  
  
"Why would I need to pay the rent when I'm living with a doctor and a news anchor?" Helga teased. "But yes Arnold...I think I'm finally getting somewhere with it."  
  
That night they made good, old fashioned hamburger helper. They sat around the kitching table, eating and catching up when Helga cleared her throat.   
  
Arnold and Gerald looked at her. Helga looked down at her plate and began stirring her hamburger helper around with her fork. "So ummm..." She started, "for the last two years...as you know, I've been in Australia with Gregory Howard...and umm.. well, I'm engaged..."   
  
Everything was suddenly silent. Helga glanced up from her plate to see Arnold and Gerald staring at her with mouths open.   
  
"Well...wow Helga that's great," Gerald said getting up walking over to give her a hug.   
  
"Umm...yeah Helga I'm..I'm really happy for you," Arnold said giving her a hug as well.  
  
"Really?" Helga asked, sounding kind of relieved.   
  
"Yeah of course," Arnold said, "I mean I don't actually know the guy...but if you're engaged to him he must be really great. Huh? It's Gregory Howard you're engaged to, right?"   
  
"Yes," Helga said.   
  
"Well that's great Helga!" Gerald said, "So when do we get to meet him?"  
  
"He's flying in tomorrow, he'll be staying in the Marriot." Helga said.   
  
"Oh hey ummm...I just remembered I have some paperwork I had to pick up from the office today..." Arnold said, "A patient called and wanted me to check something on an...an alergy record. I'll be back in about twenty minutes. Congratulations Helga, We'll celebrate when I get back ok?" He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before grabbing his keys and leaving. Arnold walked hurridly down the street he stopped on a bench and sat down putting his head in his hands. 'What's wrong with you Arnold?' He asked himself, 'you should be happy, one of your best friends is getting married.' *but not to you* a little voice popped into his head. 'why did I think that? I do NOT like Helga, well not like that, and I'm not jealous of Gregory Howard in anyway whatsover. Helga can do what ever she wants.' *Is it possible that you love Helga G. Pataki?* that annoying voice came back. 'No, I do not, I haven't seen her in two years...that's all, I missed her.' *What if you do love her?* 'That's ridiculous....' Arnold pondered over this for awhile continuing the little conversation with himself. *think about it...you've loved her for a long time, you just won't admit it to her, You always saw the real Helga, past the sarcastic bully, you always knew how great she was...then in senior year, after all you went through, you fell in love...you just won't admit it to yourself...untill now, now that you're jealous, now you know you love her, you're jealous of this Gregory Howard guy...You've loved her for a long time.*   
  
"I hate it when that little voice is right," Arnold muttered to himself getting up and walking back toward the townhouse. He grabbed some papers from the car and headed inside.   
  
"Hey Arnold," Helga said. She was sitting at the counter reading a magazine article. "Get the stuff you needed?"  
  
"Yeah." Arnold said looking at her across the counter. 'She's gorgeous...' he thought, 'And she's smart...and funny...and great...and I'm surprised it took me untill she was engaged to realize that I love her.' "Where's Gerald?" He asked.   
  
"He went to bed." Helga said. Arnold looked at the clock...he'd been outside for a little over an hour, he hadn't realized it had been that long.  
  
Arnold nodded. "What's up for tomorrow?" He asked.   
  
"Gerald and I just talked about it," Helga said without looking up from the article, "Obviously since you two have actual jobs you'll be at work during the day but how about we meet for dinner at about 7:30 at Le'Monte, that way you guys can meet Gregory."  
  
"Great plan Helga," Arnold said, "Ok well it's 10:00 and I have to be up in about eight hours so I'm going to bed."   
  
"Goodnight" Helga said.  
  
"Goodnight, Helga," Arnold said.   
  
***Next time*** dinner with Gregory Howard, And poor Arnold works on his little situation...don't worry, it only gets better. Review please!!!   



	3. Till Death do us Part-part two

A/N-thanks!!! To all reviewers that is I really apreciated it!!! This is kinda short...'cause I still have about two hundred pages of the Odyssey to read by tomorrow...BO-RING...oh well it'll only take a few hours. I hope you enjoy! Please review!  
  
Disclaimer-I do not own Hey Arnold.  
  
Till Death do us Part--part two  
  
"Arnold!!! Gerald!!! Did you guys move my shoes while I was in Australia?" Helga shouted from her room.  
  
"Yeah their in the attic!" Gerald called from the kitchen.  
  
"I suppose that would explain all the old baseball equiptment in my closet." Helga muttered as she ran up to the attic and grabbed her pale blue dress shoes. Back in her room Helga continued getting ready for dinner with Gregory Howard. She was wearing a long pale blue dress which had spagetti strap sleeves and fell around her ankles and her hair was wrapped up. She slipped her shoes on and looked at herself in the mirror. 'not bad...' she thought 'for me.'   
  
"Ok boys, ten minutes!" She called running down the stairs.   
  
"Well well..." Gerald teased. "It's like Cinderella all over again."  
  
"Shut up Geraldo and comb your hair." Helga said tossing him a comb.   
  
"You look great Helga." Arnold said honestly.  
  
"Thanks Arnold you look nice too." Helga said glancing around hurridly. "Ok are we ready? I think we're ready? I'm ready, are you ready?"  
  
"Helga calm down..." Arnold said. "You're so nervous..."  
  
"Nervous? Me?" Helga said instinctivly grabbing the purple stone which always hung on a silver chain around her neck. "What do I have to be nervous about?"  
  
They piled into Arnold's car and drove to the restaurant about ten minutes away.   
  
Not moments after the waiter had seated them came the voice of Gregory Howard. "Helga...Darling..."   
  
The trio stood up and greeted a tall, handsome, man with broad shoulders, green eyes and brown hair before sitting again.   
  
"Gregory, these are my best friends, Gerald Johansen, news broadcaster, and Dr. Arnold..." There was a crash as an infant at the neighboring table knocked all of her toys to the floor.   
  
"Pleased to meet you boys." Gregory said.   
  
"So, Greg, what's it like being such a famous author?" Gerald asked.   
  
"It's Gregory, Gerald, and well...I'm used to it."  
  
"Sorry...Gregory." Gerald said.   
  
"May I take your orders?" The waiter asked.  
  
"I'll have the shrimp cocktail." Arnold said.   
  
"Sirlon steak grilled to a crisp please," Gerald said.   
  
Helga opened her mouth but Gregory opened his faster. "I'll have the Chicken specialty and this lady will have the salad and tomato soup please."  
  
The waiter made a few notes and walked away.   
  
"Actually...Gregory." Helga said with a very slight, yet familiar edge in her voice, "I was going to have the shrimp coctail."  
  
"Sorry dear, but what I ordered is probably better for you anyway." Gregory answered unrolling his silver ware.  
  
Arnold glanced at Gerald, who glanced back... both expecting some sort of mini explosion from Helga.   
  
Instead Helga's face clouded for a few moments, her brow furrowed...but then she seemed calm again and sat quietly.   
  
"So, Arnold," Gregory said. "What kind of doctor are you?"   
  
"Well..." Arnold said with a small glance in Helga's direction to find her looking at the table. "I work in a small family practice nearby, it's really nice actually."  
  
"That's great...as a matter of fact one of my novels is about a patient who's doctor is really a mass murderer." Gregory said.  
  
Arnold didn't quiet know how to respond to this one.   
  
Helga's hand reached up idly and began messing with her purple necklace.   
  
Gregory sighed. "Helga...why must you persist to wear that horrid necklace, especially with the blue dress...it clashes terribly."  
  
Helga looked down at the table again. "I'll be back in a moment." She said excusing herself.   
  
"Yeah...Me too." Gerald said, getting up and walking over to the mens room.  
  
"She is so weird about that necklace." Gregory said shaking his head.   
  
Arnold was shocked. 'He must not know...' he thought, 'he must not know why it's so important to her...surely no one would say something like that if they knew...but why doesn't he know...he and Helga are suposed to get married.' "Did Helga ever tell you where she got that necklace?" Arnold asked.   
  
"No." Gregory said simply.  
  
"Well...When we were juniors in High school Gerald gave that necklace to his girlfriend, Phoebe for her birthday. ..and then Phoebe left it to Helga, Helga never takes it off." Arnold said quietly not really wanting to remember that time in his life.   
  
"So?" Gregory said. "So her best friend's girlfriend gives her a necklace...she seems a little to atached to it for me. Is there something between her and this Gerald that I should know about."  
  
Arnold was shocked...this guy really didn't seem to know anything about Helga.   
  
"Actually back then Gerald and I weren't really great friends with Helga...friends kindof but not really." Arnold tried to explain, "Phoebe and Helga were best friends...then Phoebe was...killed...and Gerald, Helga and I became best friends."  
  
Gregory nodded and looked back towards the kitchen. "I wonder where our food is?"  
  
Arnold was furious. Well more annoyed. This guy, Gregory Howard was a complete ass. He didn't even seem to care that his fiancee's childhood bestfriend had been killed.  
  
"Will you excuse me for a moment?" Arnold asked standing up.  
  
Gregory shrugged. Arnold stormed off towards the mens room. He burst threw the door and kicked the tile wall with anger.  
  
"Ow!" He howled grabbing his foot.   
  
"Smooth." Gerald said, who was sitting on a little bench with staring straight ahead.   
  
Arnold limped over and sat down. "Are you alright?" He asked Gerald.   
  
"Yeah man, I'm fine" Gerald said. "What's got you so mad?"  
  
Arnold stood up again and began hobbling around on his good foot. "This guy...This Gregory Howard is all wrong for Helga. He's an insensitive pompous ass and he doesn't know a thing about her. He's awful Gerald. I was just talking to him...first he didn't know anything about her past...then he didn't even CARE when I told him. Gerald I've made up my mind and we can NOT let Helga marry him!"  
  
Gerald was slightly suprised at such an emotional reaction from his friend. Arnold was usually the calm sensible one.   
  
"Arnold, man, sit down." Gerald said. "First of all is your foot ok?"   
  
Arnold pulled off his shoe and looked at his foot. "Yes it's fine...nothing broken." He said.  
  
"Now...Our Helga's a smart girl...a very smart girl. And she must have SOME reason to marry Gregory Howard. Helga wouldn't listen to us if we forbid her to marry him because we don't like him...that would make her want to marry him more, just to prove us wrong. So...for now we have to go along with it until we figure out why she ever agreed to marry Gregory and then we can try and stop her."  
  
"Ok..." Arnold said.   
  
"Come on man...our food's probably ready by now." Gerald said. "Now remember...we're happy for Helga..."  
  
Arnold painfully forced a smile onto his face.  
  
They rejoined Helga and Gregory at the table to find their dinners waiting for them.   
  
After dinner Gregory gave Helga a peck on the cheek and shook hands with Arnold and Gerald before departing to go back to his hotel. The trio once again climbed into Arnold's car.   
  
"So." Helga said in a practically expressionless voice. "What did you think?"  
  
Arnold glanced in the mirror at Gerald in the back seat. Gerald gave him a sharp look in the mirror.   
  
"If you're happy Helga, Then we're happy for you." Gerald said.   
  
Helga gave a weak smile. "Arnold?" She asked.   
  
Arnold bit the tip of his tongue so hard it almost started to bleed. "As long as you're happy..." He muttered forcidly.  
  
  



	4. Till Death do us Part-part three

A/N-Sorry...well as you could obviously tell I combined the story things...I don't think I did it right though because I lost all my reviews :( anyway...I've been having a pretty tough time...that's why this took so long. My best friend had an emergency neurosurgery two weeks ago...she's ok now. She might actually have to go back to school soon even though she's hooked up to an IV for eight hours a day. But I won't go on with all that stuff. I hope you enjoy and please review!!!!  
  
Disclaimer-I don't OWN Hey Arnold...but imagine the possiblities if I did (as I plot my subtle take-over...J/K!!! don't sue!)  
  
Arnold rolled over and whacked his alarm clock. He groaned and got up. What an awful night he'd had, Gregory Howard was simply horrible...and Helga was marrying him. HIS Helga was marrying a complete jerk instead of himself, Arnold. Arnold sighed and threw on some khakis and white pollo shirt, grabbing his white doctors jacket from the chair at his desk before running downstairs.   
  
"Hey Helga," Arnold said grabbing a cup of coffee.   
  
"What's this?" Helga said. "Suddenly getting up early on Saturdays?"  
  
Arnold froze...Saturday? He groaned and set down his coffee, that's right...yesterday had been Friday and he'd just been so mad last night he'd set his alarm clock.  
  
"Saturday..." He moaned setting down his briefcase.   
  
Helga laughed.   
  
"What are you doing up at quarter to six anyway?" Arnold said.   
  
Helga stopped laughing for a second and glanced around. "Nothing." She said simply. "Just making a phone call."  
  
"Must have been an important call." Arnold said throwing his white jacket over the chair in the kitchen and sitting down on the couch.   
  
"Oh it was, I had to talk to my editor." Helga said.   
  
Arnold looked at her. She was fiddling with the necklace again...a classic Helga Pataki sign of being nervous or lying. He decided not to pursue the issue though.  
  
"So..." Arnold said. "You and Gregory Howard? How did you...decide...to...uh...marry?" He said trying his hardest not to grimace.   
  
"Well..." Helga said, imediatley looking down to the floor. "Well I was working for him...and we were dating I suppose, you know...going to dinner and out to do stuff all the time..and then he proposed to me last week...before I had to leave...and...you know the rest..."   
  
Arnold tried to read her face...but couldn't...she was purpously not looking him the eye.  
  
"You must really love him..." Arnold said quietly.  
  
Helga's fingers flew to her necklace. "Yes I do..." She said.  
  
They stood there in awkward silence for a few minutes before Gerald flew through the kitchen trying to pull his sports jacket on and pour a cup of coffee at the same time.   
  
"Man!" Gerald said. "I've got to do the morning review of last nights sports...and I'm late!" he grabbed a baegle and flew though the door.   
  
Helga and Arnold just laughed.   
  
That afternoon Arnold was making a ham and cheese sandwhich for his lunch...Helga had said she'd had a sudden inspiration and was up in her room writing.   
  
:::Ding...Dong...:::  
  
The doorbell went off and Arnold set down his knife and went to answer the door. He pulled open the door and there stood Gregory Howard.  
  
"Gregory?" Arnold said...Helga hadn't have said that *he'd* be bye...or Arnold would have left. "Come in." He said though gritted teeth.   
  
"Thanks Alfred." Gregory said breezing past him and into the townhouse. Arnold froze at the name Mr. Pataki had called him as a kid. "Where's Helga?"  
  
"It's Arnold, and she's in her room...she doesn't want to be disturbed, she's writing."  
  
Gregory snorted. "Please, her writing couldn't compare to mine...It'll be alright to get her...run along Arnold...go get her for me."  
  
Arnold clenched his fists so hard his knuckles turned white as Gregory Howard picked up Arnolds sandwhich and took a bite out of it.   
  
Not knowing what else to do...and just wanting to get out of the room where Gregory Howard was, Arnold started up stairs to get Helga. Growing angrier with each step.  
  
'what an ass!' he thought to himself. 'I can NOT stand that man and there is no way I can let Helga marry him...but Geralds right...we have to be smart about this...'  
  
Before he could thingk about it anymore he had reached the door to Helga's room. He knocked on it quietly waiting for an explosion. "Helga..." he called through the door.  
  
"What?!?!" She snapped.  
  
"Sorry, but Gregory Howard is here to see you..." Arnold said.   
  
Arnold could here a sigh through the door. Helga opened the door and stood there for a moment.   
  
"Look I didn't want to disturb you but...Gregory said I should and I figured it would be ok..."  
  
Helga had a sort of blank look on her face..."Yes Arnold...of course." She said. "I just lost an entire train of thought though..."  
  
"I'm sorry..." Arnold said, not sure what else to say.  
  
"Yeah well...guess I better go see what Gregory's up to." She said heading downstairs with a sort of forlorn lost look on her face.   
  
Arnold felt horrible. He knew how much her writing ment to her. Arnold glanced into her room at the computor screen as a little box popped up. Arnold crossed the room to read the box..."If you do not save now work will be terminated..." Arnold quickly saved the document for Helga and left the room...not even wanting to think about what would happen if Helga lost her novel.   
  
Arnold trudged back downstairs, having already seen enough of Gregory Howard for one day. Reluctantly Arnold headed towards the kitchen...he could here a low male voice, obviously Gregory, but couldn't make out what he was saying. Then he heard Helga shriek.   
  
"WHAT!?!? NO..No No..." She sounded furious! Arnold was thrilled, maybge she'd had a sudden revelation and had decided not to marry that jackass! Then her town changed...to surprised yet happy..."no way...I can't beleive it! I'm so happy for..us."  
  
Arnold entered the kitchen and grabbed an apple, still hungry since Gregory ate his lunch. "What are you happy about?" He asked.  
  
Helga turned to him with a huge smile plastered on her face. "Gregory got us a chapel for next weekend. Sunday. We're getting married on Sunday. Isn't it wonderful Arnold?"  
  
Arnold choked on apple bits spraying them all over the counter.  
  
"Arnold? Are you ok?" Helga asked as her friend sat their choking and coughing.   
  
Arnold composed himself. 'no I'm not ok!' he felt like yelling. 'I love you! I've loved you for years! And now you're throwing your life away on some jackass who doesn't really care about you!!!!' instead he kept calm and said. "Yes Helga...Gregory, I'm so happy for you. It was just rather shocking. Ummm...I guess I'll go upstairs then and let you two talk about it."  
  
Arnold got up from the counter leaving the couple to celebrate, at the base of the stairs he glanced back at them...He could see the back of Helga's head and Gregory Howard, with a big smile on his jackass face. 'Why can't that be me?' he thought.... 


	5. Till Death do us Part-part four

a/n-thanks to those of you who reviewed!!! if you haven't been reviewing...PLEASE review...ummm..I don't have much to say so...ENJOY!!!   
  
Disclaimer-it's not mine *theatrical sigh*  
  
Till Death do us Part-part 4  
  
Fuming Arnold made his way up to his room. He swung the door back planning to slam it hard, the moment he released the door he realized it was a bad idea and grabbed it before it slammed, unfortunatly his hand got caught between the door and the wall. Damn, it hurt. But it was better than Helga knowing he was angry about something...better than Helga wanting to know what he was angry about. Arnold sighed to himself flopped down onto the bed. Why? Why God, why? Why does Helga love that jackass? How could anyone love him? He's self-centered, egotistical, high strung, bossy, horribly rude...how did he ever become an author anyway? It was hard to imagine such a moron writing so many books which millions of people loved, Arnold had never read any of Gregory Howards books so he didn't know how good they were. But if millions of people read them they must be good...right? Arnold sighed and rolled over grabbing the phone.  
  
"Hello channel six news?" A female voice said on the other end.  
  
"Hey Sara, it's Arnold...I need to talk to Gerald...tell him it's an emergency."  
  
A few minutes later Gerald picked up the phone. "Hey man what's the emergency?"  
  
"Helga's marrying Gregory Howard."  
  
Arnold could hear Gerald sigh on the other end. "Yeah...we went over this before...remember? And there's nothing we can do about it, untill we know WHY she's marrying him at least."  
  
"No Gerald...Gregory just stopped by, Helga and Gregory are getting married next Sunday."  
  
"What!??!" Arnold could hear Gerald drop the phone and scoop it back up.   
  
"I know...We've got to stop her. She can not marry him."  
  
"Arnold man, why don't we talk to Helga first? I mean...maybe she really loves him. Maybe they're meant to be? You know....maybe we just can't see the real him, a bad first impression kind of thing..."  
  
"They are NOT meant to be..." Arnold said fiercly. "And I don't care, we HAVE to stop the wedding."  
  
"Easy man...Why do we HAVE to stop this wedding?"  
  
"Because...because...Gerald...I...I love her..I love Helga."  
  
Once again Arnold heard the phone crash out of Geralds hands and onto the floor.   
  
"ARNOLD!!! You...you love Helga G. Pataki!! well...Yeah...I guess I'm happy for you, but...since when?"  
  
"Since we were 17...when we were seniors..." Arnold said quietly.   
  
Gerald was kind of quiet on the other end of the phone too. "Alright man," He said after a few minutes, "You're right...Helga can't marry Gregory, I know what it's like to love someone so much...and then loose them, I don't want you to have to know what that's like too."  
  
"Thanks Gerald."  
  
"Hey...what are best friends for."  
  
They hung up and Arnold leaned over to stare at the ceiling again. He wondered..why?...again...Why was Helga throwing her life away like this? Helga's a very smart girl. Can't she see what's happening here? Frusterated and confused Arnold rolled over and fell asleep.  
  
***  
  
"Arnold...hey..Arnold...wake up..." a voice penetrated through his dreams. "Come on Arnold...wake up...it's dinner time..."  
  
Arnold opened his eyes to see Helga standing over him. He glanced at the clock, it was 7pm, he'd slept all afternoon, and he'd had the most horrible dream, Helga was marrying a complete pompous ass in about a week.   
  
"Yeah...I was just resting." Arnold said sitting up and running his fingers through his hair.   
  
"You've been asleep for hours," Helga said, "You aren't coming down with anything are you?"  
  
"No, I feel fine, really." Arnold insisted.  
  
Then Helga noticed his hand, it was bruised and swollen pretty badly from his mishap with the door, "Oh my gosh! Arnold look at your hand! What happened?"  
  
Arnold glanced at his own hand and winced...it was true, it had all been true, it wasn't a dream.  
  
"Oh...yeah Helga...I umm..I hit my hand in the door, it's ok though, just needs some ice." Arnold said.  
  
Helga gave him a weird look but shrugged. "Come on Arnoldo, we've ordered a pizza."  
  
Arnold got up and followed her downstairs. As the entered the kitchen Gerald looked up. He gave Arnold a kinda sympathetic look and went back to his magazine. Helga got and ice pack and a towel and wrapped up Arnolds hand.   
  
"So Gerald..." Helga said. "I...I'm getting married next Sunday."  
  
"Yeah Helga I know, Arnold called and told me the happy news at work." Gerald said, "So...how did you and Gregory decide to get married in the first place?"   
  
Arnold thanked Gerald inwardly for bringing up the subject.   
  
"Well..." Helga said fiddling with the little cup of pens and pencils near the memo pad. "I was interning for him and then we went out to lunch together a lot and then we went to all the evening affairs at the publishing company and then he asked me to marry him." She said it all kindof quickly...as though she was rambling off a grocery list.   
  
"You must really love him?" Gerald said.   
  
Helga's hand fluttered to her necklace as she replied..."Yes..."  
  
The room fell silent, Helga rubbing her necklace. Arnold staring at the floor...wishing that none of this was happening, and Gerald trying to think of the next thing to say.   
  
:::Ding dong:::  
  
"I'll get it, it's got to be the pizza" Helga said hurrying from the kitchen to answer the door.   
  
"Man...I'm sorry," Gerald said to Arnold as soon as she was gone.   
  
"It can't be true Gerald, this isn't our Helga..." Arnold said.  
  
Gerald shook his head but didn't say anything.   
  
The next morning Arnold woke up feeling slightly refreshed. Of course the horrors of the day before were still fresh in his mind but today he was going to try and come up with a plan to keep Helga from marrying Gregory Howard.   
  
Arnold went down to breakfast to find Helga on the phone again.   
  
"Yes Mirriam, I'm getting married...Sunday...no not today next week...yes...you and Bob need to come...ok...bye..." Helga said taking the phone away from her ear and pressing the off button.  
  
"Having fun?" Arnold teased her, he knew how much she disliked talking to either of her parents.  
  
"Oh this is just a barrel of monkies Arnoldo." Helga said grabbing her list from the kitchen counter and dialing another number. "Hi Olga, this is Helga...yeah of course...I missed you too.." Helga said rolling her eyes, "Listen Olga, I'm getting married on Sunday...yes next Sunday...yes...you're invited...ok...ok...Olga...will you stop crying! Ok, Olga I'm hanging up now, bye."   
  
Arnold laughed and pulled the oarange juice out of the refrigerator. Helga looked at the list again and kept going. Arnold sat down at the kitchen table, he was enjoying watching this.  
  
"Hello, Rhonda?...This is Helga Pataki...yes...I know it's been a while...Well, Rhonda, I'm getting married on Sunday and you're invited...yes I know it's short notice...It's short notice me me too" she muttered, "Oh nothing...Ok...oh, I'm sorry...ok...bye."  
  
Helga set down the phone and sighed, "Poor little Rhonda Wellington Lloyd is going to cancel her tennis match just for me."   
  
Arnold couldn't help but laugh out loud.   
  
"Ok football head. That does it," Helga ripped her list in half. "Ok, go upstairs with this half of the list, get on the other line, and invite these people to my wedding."  
  
Arnold groaned and got up taking the list. "Yeah sure thing Helga..." Slowly Arnold marched upstairs dragging his feet. He did not want anything to do with this wedding, let alone inviting more people to it. Arnold entered their study room and sat down. 'Ok...' he thought looking on the list, 'first person is...Sid.' Arnold picked up the phone and dialed Sid's number.   
  
"Hello?" Came a voice on the other side.  
  
"Hi, Sid?" Arnold said.  
  
"Yes, this is Sid."  
  
"Well this is Arnold."  
  
"Oh hey Arnold! What's up?"  
  
Arnold took a deep breath, "Helga's getting married on Sunday and you're invited to the wedding."   
  
"Helga's getting married! Wow, to who?"  
  
"He's some australian author, really famous...his name's Gregory Howard."  
  
"Really? I've heard of him."  
  
"Yeah..." Arnold said. "So, I'll see you Sunday?"  
  
"Sunday it is, bye Arnold."  
  
"Bye" Arnold said.   
  
Arnold consulted his list...he still had a while to go.   
  
That afternoon Gregory Howard stopped by for a visit.   
  
"Hey guys" Gregory said coming in and sitting down with them. The trio had been going over some of the wedding plans, much to Arnolds disliking.  
  
"Hi Gregory," Helga said without even looking up from what she was doing.  
  
Gerald greeted Gregory as well but Arnold remained silent.   
  
"Hey Gregory," Helga said after a few minutes, "Are you working on a new novel now?"  
  
"Actually I am," Gregory said, "Do you want to hear about it?"  
  
"Actually..." Helga said, "You already told me about it..."  
  
Arnold looked up, he could tell Helga was up to something...but he had absolutly no clue what.  
  
"Isn't it about the guy who gets hole of a top secret military disk? What did you call it? A disk call Project Menta or something?"  
  
Helga stared at Gregory Howard for a few seconds. Gregory looked up, "No...it's about a maring biologist who gets stranded on an island. Where the heck did you get the project menta thing." Arnold thought that he saw Gregory's eye twitch, he looked back at Helga, not quite sure what was going on. Helga smiled...sligtly pleased with something.  
  
"Oh no where." She said, "It just popped into my head."  
  
The rest of the afternoon was torture for Arnold, not only was he stuck making wedding plans but he had to deal with Gregory Howard. And he still hadn't come up with a plan to stop the wedding...  
  
  
A/N-sorry this instalment kinda dragged a bit. But I had to get it out of the way, now Gerald knows that Arnold loves Helga and wedding plans are underway...next instalment will pick up a bit. Please review!!!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	6. Till Death do us Part-part five

A/N-Sorry this took me forever and a day to write. I've been SOOOOOOO busy...i barely had two weeks between the end of swimming and the begining of track, and even though my school swim team is done I still have my USA team and the world is just going insane...  
  
Disclaimer-not mine  
  
Till Death do us Part-part five  
  
:::Ding...dong::::  
  
"Arnold will you get that for me!?" Helga called from the other room. Arnold set down his baegal and got up. It was Wednsday morning...he had an hour before he had to leave for work.   
  
Arnold opened the door to find Bob, Miriam, and Olga Pataki.  
  
"Umm...hi..." Arnold said, "Helga didn't tell me you were coming today..."  
  
"Of course she didn't!" Olga said in her too sugary sweet voice, "It's a surprise! Now where is my baby sister?"  
  
Arnold stepped back and let the Patakis in. He followed them into the living room and couldn't help but smirk as Helga dropped the phone in shock. Her jaw dropped to the ground, "oh shit..." she muttered. She scooped the phone up again, "Look," She said, "It's simple, Flowers, church, sunday. Goodbye."   
  
She hung up the phone and turned to her family, "What are you guys doing here?" She asked.   
  
"We came for your wedding baby sister!" Olga squeeled throwing her arms around Helga. Helga rolled her eyes and Arnold couldn't help but smirk.   
  
"Umm...that's not till Sunday" Helga said.  
  
"Well yes honey, of course, but we figured we could help you..." Mirium said taking a sip from her trusty coffee.   
  
"Umm..great, but I've got my life completely under control." Helga said, wishing she could just herd her family back out the door and back to whatever planet they came from.  
  
"Don't be silly dear! Now, Phillip will be brining the twins and Sara down on Saturday, they have school all week." Olga said, "And we're going to be here to help you plan the wedding! Oh this is so exciting baby sister!"  
  
Helga rolled her eyes, "Right, right...Where are you guys staying?"  
  
"Holiday Inn." Bob said, "No use wasting my money on some ritzy high class hotel. We Patakis always stay at the Holiday Inn"  
  
"Well...I suggest you go check in." Helga said, "You know, get good rooms before the crowds come for the weekend and what not."   
  
Now Arnold rolled his eyes. Crowds in the Holiday in on a Wednsday? The only travelers to New York during the week were buisness executives, and they always stayed at the richest most expensive hotels.   
  
Helga ushered her family out the door promising she'd meet them for dinner. She closed the door and locked it quickly before spinning around and groaning...she slid down the back of the door and sat on the floor burying her head in her hands.   
  
"Problems?" Arnold asked.  
  
"Damn this wedding!" Helga shouted. "How the hell am I suposed to organize an entire wedding in four days?"  
  
Arnolds heart sunk everytime she mentioned the wedding..."Well," He said, hoping his voice sounded normal and not as though he were choking over his words, "Well, Gerald...and I...will help you."  
  
Helga looked up from her hands. "Thank you Arnold." She said, "I really don't know where I'd be without you..."  
  
"No problem" Arnold said.   
  
Helga pulled herself up on the door handle and climbed up onto one of the kitchen stools grabbing the phone. She punched in a series of numbers...  
  
"Hey, Shelli? Look it's Helga...yeah...look it's REALLY important that I speak with Joan. NO I mean life or death...Damnit who goes to lunch at 11 in the morning, I don't care if it's a buisness lunch...well connect me to her cell...she didn't bring it with her! Damn, look this is important, she needs to call me the SECOND she walks in those doors got it? Good." Helga hung up the phone.   
  
Arnold stared at her, perplexed..."Who's Joan?"  
  
"What? Oh yeah...my editor, I uh..I wanted to invite her to the wedding."  
  
Arnold nodded, another mention to the wedding and his heart sunk further into his stomache...  
  
Arnold grabbed his white doctors coat and wished Helga good luck before climbing into his car and heading off to work.   
  
Arnold climbed up the steps into the familiar family practice. "You're ten min. late" Dana, his receptionist who was about 50 years old but believed that tardiness was a sin, reprimanded him as he came in.   
  
"Sorry," Arnold said grabbing his mail from his cuboard.   
  
"Johnny Campell is in your office, he needs a sports physical."  
  
Arnold nodded and headed back to his office. He opened the door and greeted the 12 year old boy in his office.   
  
"Hey Johnny, Sorry to keep you waiting," Arnold said picking up the medical folder the nurse had left him.   
  
"Yeah it's ok."  
  
Arnold began his examination when the phone rang in his office.   
"One moment please?" He asked Johnny who nodded and Arnold picked up the phone.  
  
"Hello?" he said.  
  
"Arnold you've got to help me!" The frantic voice of Helga G. Pataki came over the phone. "The fucking florists will only give me my flowers if I pick them up before 5pm. Gregory scheduled some damn fitting with the taylor then and I can't get it and Geralds doing the 6 o'clock news. Could you get them for me?"  
  
"Yeah Helga, I'll get them during my 1 o'clock lunch break." Arnold said with a sigh.   
  
"Great..." She said. "I've got another call, I gotta go."  
  
Arnold hung up and turned back to Johnny.   
  
"She's got you whipped man." Johhny said shaking his head.   
  
A/N-VERY SHORT INSTALMENT, I know, I'm mucho sorry, I can't help it...that's my closing point for THIS segment...but I know exactly where i'm going with this...There will be one more instalment including the dress rehearsal dinner, then the wedding...Poor Arnold :(  
  
I SHOULD get the next part up...who knows, maybe even finish the story over spring break. I've been SOOO busy lately between School, track, swimming and the band. But!!! two members of the band are in FLORIDA for the break with the school band and we're not going to practice (YES!--free time!).   
  
Anyone know a good way to help someone get over a boyfriend? My sister just broke up with hers, while he broke up with her and all she doesn is mope...it's pathetic. I'm TRYING to snap her out of it...but it's not working.   
  
  



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